Today: Northfield Storm Water Prevention Seminar

Have a question about the best ways to avoid flooding this summer? Consider going to the Northfield seminar on Tuesday night.

Poll: Should Chicago Have a Casino?

Illinois lawmakers are again looking to expand gambling options in Illinois.

  Illinois lawmakers are considering plans to add more casinos as the state continues to grapple with budget woes. The latest proposals would place casinos in Danville, Rockford and Waukegan. Another proposal would allow for slot machines to be operated at race tracks like Arlington Park, the Alton Daily News reported. The bills are sponsored by Terry Link (D-Waukegan) in the Senate and Lou Lang (D-Skokie) in the House. Gov. Pat Quinn has called the legislation to, once again, expand gambling in Illinois "a distraction." Meanwhile, behind the scenes, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has been pushing for a Chicago casino. A Chicago casino is something that officials in the city long have sought. As far back at 1993, Mayor Daley proposed an $800 …

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fred

4:43 pm on Monday, May 21, 2012

Bonnie if gambling isa morality issue. WHY DO CHURCHES DO IT?   more ›

Destroy Documents at SWANCC Event in Winnetka

Safely dispose and recycle sensitive documents on Saturday at Winnetka's Public Works Facility, 1390 Willow Road.

Special Service Tax Weighed for Flood Prevention: Winnetka Spring Town Meeting

At annual meeting of Winnetka Caucus idea discussed of creating zones to pay extra for flood prevention

Residents in the Winnetka flood plain could one day pay more for property taxes, as the village might consider the area a special service district to prevent the massive flooding that devastated the village last summer. Such a proposal is one of many that sits on the table, according to Village President Jessica Tucker, when she spoke at the Spring Town Meeting of the Winnetka Caucus Council Wednesday night. The caucus’s spring meeting was held at District 36's Washburne School. Part of the goal of this meeting was to check in and see performance of the respective governing bodies on the caucus's platform planks. Related: Letter to the Editor: Why You Should Take the Caucus Council Survey Current Caucus Chairwoman Sandy Berger was pleased …

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Dold, Schakowsky Spar on Women's Health

Evanston Congresswoman calls Dold’s recent proposal on women’s health a political ploy. He accuses her of partisanship.

Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Evanston) accused Rep. Robert Dold (R-Kenilworth) Tuesday of introducing legislation merely to cast himself as a political moderate, while Dold replied Schakowsky is unwilling to act in a bipartisan fashion. Schakowsky made her remarks during a telephone news conference Tuesday with Deerfield management consultant Brad Schneider, Dold’s Democratic opponent in the Nov. 6 general election, to explain why Dold’s record on women’s issues is unsatisfactory. Earlier: Dold Proposal Would Help Women’s Health Schakowsky was particularly critical of a bill Dold introduced last week prohibiting discrimination against health care providers participating in certain government programs from excluding services like contraception …

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Poll: Should Gay Marriage Be Legal?

President Barack Obama said that he supported gay marriage this week, while Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has said he believes marriage should be between a man and a woman.

  Gay marriage came to the forefront of the 2012 presidential campaign this week. President Barack Obama said on ABC's Good Morning America that he personally supported gay marriage. "You know, Malia and Sasha, they have friends whose parents are same-sex couples. There have been times where Michelle and I have been sitting around the dinner table and we’re talking about their friends and their parents and Malia and Sasha, it wouldn’t dawn on them that somehow their friends’ parents would be treated differently," Obama said in the interview with ABC. Obama's support for gay marriage came one day after North Carolina passed an amendment defining marriage as a union between a man and a woman, the Huffington Post Reported. Republican …

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RB

7:59 pm on Thursday, May 17, 2012

Marie: I hope you get some clear answers, that was a good question. My experience is that the religious right feels that the Government should support them in their effort to implement laws based upon religion. I guess it's similar to the Taliban and Islamic law. Of course the Taliban may take it further with the whippings, beheadings and bulldozing of centuries old relics but, it's a slippery …   more ›

Dold Proposal Would Help Women’s Health

Schneider likes the policy behind the legislation but questions the Congressman’s motivation.

Federal legislation to protect women’s health was introduced Wednesday by Rep. Robert Dold (R-Kenilworth) prohibiting discrimination against health care providers participating in certain government programs from excluding services like contraception from coverage. Specifically, Dold wants to prevent institutions like hospitals and clinics participating in Title X from allowing some services and denying others. Title X was passed in 1970 providing preventive care to low income women. “This legislation is needed and timely,” Dold said. “We have seen in Congress and several states attempts to block funds to Title X participants. For over 40 years, Title X has provided access to contraception and health education to women.” He added that more…

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Kirk Speaks, Walks on Video

Senator releases video thanking citizens and showing his rehab effort.

Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Highland Park) released a video Tuesday thanking the citizens of Illinois in his own voice for their support during his rehabilitation from a stroke suffered Jan. 21 and three resulting surgeries. Kirk left the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago Friday to continue his recovery from the stroke at the home of family members. Earlier: Kirk Heads Home From Rehab Center “I want to thank everyone especially for the patience they have given me to recover from a big stroke," said Kirk. "(And also) to the people of Illinois for granting me the honor to represent them in the United States Senate. I cannot wait to get back to work to vote to spend less, borrow less and tax less to fix our economy." Kirk made it clear in the video …

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Schakowsky Power Lunch Draws 1,500

Congresswoman stresses the power of women voters in the 2012 elections at political event.

More than 1,500 women and a long list of elected officials attended U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky's Ultimate Women's Power Lunch Friday at the Hilton Chicago. The 9th District Democrat, whose district includes much of the northern suburbs, held the event to mobiize women for the upcoming fall election. The elected officials attending included Governor Pat Quinn, Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle and Democratic Congressional candidates Tammy Duckworth, Brad Schneider, Cheri Bustos, Bill Foster, David Gill, Dennis Anderson and Leslie Coolidge. In introducing the seven Democratic candidates for Congress in Illinois, Schakowsky said, "Illinois is ground-zero for putting the Speaker's gavel back in the hand of Nancy Pelosi. We have many great …

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Poll: Should We Tax Soda To Discourage Obesity?

Chicago is considering a tax on soda as a way to raise revenue and combat obesity.

  Chicago held hearings this week on whether to tax soda to fight obesity. Alderman George Cardenas proposed a tax of 15 to 35 cents on sugary drinks. Cardenas proposed the tax as a way to fight child obesity rates. The tax also would raise about $129 million in revenue. Childhood obesity in the U.S. has more than tripled in the last 30 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control. The CDC states that in 2008, a third of U.S. children were overweight or obese. The percentage of children 6 to 11 defined as obese rose from 7 percent in 1980 to almost 20 percent in 2008. “We know that taxing at the right level can reduce consumption of sugary drinks and that reducing consumption will help reduce the prevalence of obesity,” Fox Chicago …

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Jon Skulemowski

10:35 am on Thursday, May 10, 2012

That's a little disingenuous. They're not banning soda. And this is not a "nanny state" issue. This is a win-win, 25 cents more on your 99 cent soda from 7-11. Tax revenue is raised on the sale of a popular product and obesity is discouraged. No one likes to pay taxes and this is what you're really talking about. I don't like to pay taxes either, but our state needs them badly to remain solvent, …   more ›